How You Can Reduce E-Waste with plug

The manufacturing of these devices and the use of rare materials that go into their production represent a huge source of embodied energy.  Minimizing e waste helps to conserve resources and reduces the amount of energy we take from the earth.

Reusing the precious metals and plastics in old cell phones alone instead of making or mining more of them would save as much energy as flipping off the power to 24,000 US homes for an entire year. The typical American household has 24 electronic devices and in 2009 the EPA estimated that there is 2.37 million tons worth of electronics ready to be disposed of.  This would fill almost five football stadiums! Imagine what all that e waste would actually look like. 

• Re-evaluate. Do you really need that extra gadget? Try finding one device with multiple functions, this goes a long way when cutting down on e waste. 
• Extend the life of your electronics. Buy a case, keep your device clean, and avoid overcharging the battery, this will allow the device to extend its life and allowing the battery to last longer. 
• Buy environmentally friendly electronics. Look for products labeled Energy Star or certified by the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT).
• Donate used electronics to social programs—and help victims of domestic violence, children safety initiatives, environmental causes, and more. Ask your student REP for a postage-paid mailer for your cell phone or ink cartridge. For each item received, the World Wildlife Fund will receive one dollar.
• Reuse large electronics. They may be outdated, but if they still operate on the latest iOS or software and can do the simple tasks, keep the device and do what you can with it!
• Recycle electronics and batteries in e-waste recycling bins located around campus.  Large electronics can go in the larger bins found in your building

About plug:

Plug, formerly eCommsell, is a leading consumer electronics provider and online retailer that connects people to reliable, renewed devices. The company is based in St. Louis, Mo, and was founded to make it affordable and easy for people to get the most out of their personal technology purchases, helping to reduce unnecessary e-waste. Plug hand tests and certifies every device it sells through its rigorous 90+ point ‘Certified Pre-Owned Assurance’ certification process, providing a one-year warranty and 30-day money back guarantee on all devices sold. Plug is ‘Responsible Recycling’ or ‘R2’ certified, and has helped to prevent over one million working devices from reaching landfills since 2009. Find all of our deals at www.plug.tech or by downloading our mobile app.